Fluid release device



March 7, 1939. w. F. BETTIS FLUID RELEASE DEV ICE Filed Aug. 10, 1957Patented Z,

Apmhon 2 E with.

This invention is concerned with a device by which the control of fluidis efiected and is here designated as a fluid release device.

In various industries it is desirable to confine a fluid within aconduit or container and to quickly release the fluid therefrom bysimple and efiective means. Such a device is" desirable for use in.connectionwith oil well operations. For

example, in the making of formation and water l0 shut-oil tests of oilwells, and in which structures an empty string of drill pipeis loweredinto the well and is thereafter placed in communication with the fluidat the lower end of the well by opening a valve or fluid release device.It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a fluidrelease device which will act to confine a fluid under pressure within acontainer and conduit, and thereafter permit it to be instantly releasedby establishing and maintaining a flow of fluid from the container orconduit, the

said structure being composed of a few parts designed for rugged use andhigh pressures and which may be operated directly'or from a remotepoint.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a housing adapted tobe placed in communication with a conduit or fluid container, and ifdesired to be attached to a conduit through which the relieved fluid mayflow, said housing carrying a'frangible disc which may-be perforatedpenetrating point of the perforating member. Fig. 3 is a view in planshowing the frangible 7 disc.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, It) indicates a housing.This member is tubular having a threaded lower end H and a threadedupper end IL.- The lower end is threaded into a coupling or, boss I3which may be part of a fluid container or a conduit. The upper end ishere shown as connected with a pipe it. This may be a fiow pipe or adrill string. The housing it is formed throughout a major portion of itslength with a large central bore l5 which terminates in a reduced borel6 at its lower end. This provides a shoulder ll here shown as formedwith concentric V-shaped serrations 18 upon which a frangi- .llil, ion,Serial No. reason,

(oi. ice-i) ble disc to maybe seated. The frangible disc it is formed ofa desired material, such for example as aluminum, and to make it easy toperforate or break thedisc its central portion is relatively thin and iscircumscribed by a relatively thick g portion. The thick portion isindicated at 20 Y and'the thin portion is indicated at 2! where it willbe seen that the thin portion is concaved and presents a convexedface tothe pressure of the fluid in the passageway It. This formation of thedisc insures that the disc may be relatively thin at its center andexceedingly strong. The thick circumferential portion 20 is engaged bythe lower end of a fastening sleeve 22 which sleeve is formed with aV-shaped groove 23 so that 36 penetrating edges 23' formed'thereby, andthe serrations lb will be embedded-into the face of the disc above andbelow it. The sleeve 22 is threaded into the housing ID at 2d, the upperend of said sleeve being formed with an enlarged head no 25 by which thesleeve may be screwed into its set position to bind the edges of thedisc l9 against the shoulder H. The sleeve 22 is formed at its lower endwith a relatively large counterbore' 26 which extends upwardly andcontinues as in a smaller bore 21. Positioned within the large bore 26is a perforating element 28 having a collar fit on its upper end whichis threaded on to the lower end of a tubular stem 29. The tubular stemfits slidably within the bore 21 and terminates at 30 its upper end inan enlarged head 30. The perforating element 28 is preferably conicaland terminates in a relatively sharp point and extends downwardly tocontact the'disc l9 at-its central part. The sides of the perforatingelement 2d are fluted as indicated at tl'so that when the point has beendriven through the disc l9 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 therewill be fluid circulation passageways through the disc and around thepoint. These fluted portions 3| communicate with passageways 32 leadinginto thelower'part of collar 28' which'in tum conduct the flow of fluidto a central passageway 33 in the stem 29. Outlet openings M are formedin the head 30 of the stem" to allow a fiow of &6 fluid from thepassageway 33.

In operation of the present invention it will be understood that thehousing I0 is connected with a member 13, such for example as a piece ofpipe or tubing. The frangible disc 19 is mounted upon til the shoulderI! and forced downwardly until the ribs occurring between the V-shapedgrooves l8 are embedded in the end face of the portion 26 of thefrangible disc and the edges 23' of the sleeve 22 are embedded in theupper face of the 55 event this pressureis' sumcient to lift the elementfrangible disc, thus making e sure nent'swi he-' tween the disc and theshoulder ill and there-. around. The perforating element 28 with itsstem 29 has been mounted within the sleeve 22 and may rest with itspoint upon the upper face of the central portion of the frangible disci9. The device is then ready for instant use. This may be done bystrihng the head 3% with some weighted object, or in certain cases itmay be accomplished by dropping. a weighted object through a string ofpipe M so thatlt will strike the head sdwith suficient impact to drivethe point of the perforating element 28 through the disc l9 and toestablish a fluid flow from the passageway it through the flutes M tothe passageways 82 of the perforating element and then up-' wardlythrough the passageway 3d of the stem I 29. It will be evident that ifthe fluid pressure beneath the frangible disc i9 is not sumcient to liftthe perforating element 28 and its stern, that fluid may freely flowoutwardly and that in'the the central perforated openings will remain.Attention is called particularly to the fact that due to the convenedformation of the frangible disc l9 it will withstand excwive fluidpressures with out rupture even though the disc is made of roletivelythin material. It will thus be seen that the structure here disclosedprovides simple and efiective means for retaining a. fluid underpressure, within a contamer or conduit and for permitting it to beinstantly released without the use of expensive valves and packing, andthat site:- the release has been initiated the flow will continuewithout abatement and without necessity that the penetrating member andthe disc shall be held in any particular locked position withrelation'to each otherand While I have shown the preierred form 01' myinvention, as now mown to me, it willlbe un-. derstood thatvariouschengw might be made in the combination, construction, andarrangement of parts, by those smlled in the art, without-departing fromthe epir'lt of the invention es Having thus described my invention,claim and desire to secure by letters Patent 12:

l. A fluid releasing device comprinns e. hen-2 ins, walls providing aprimary bore in said housins, walls providing a secondary here in discmounted on said shoulder and normally es v tablishing a sealbetween'said bores, said being held in sealing position by the masti aion oi said serrations in the mersineil port the eof, tubular stemadapted for movement within mid sleeve. a perforating element having acaller M:

threaded to the lower end of said stem, said Wt! rating element actingto puncture said dice when moved in one direction, fluted formingpassages in the surface of said pesiornh ing element, and walls formingopenings in i":-

lower end of said collar communicating with said passages to permit thepassage of fluid through the disc after the perforatinz element has miletrated the same.

'2. A fluid releasing device comprinng n he i;

ing having a primary bore and a secondetw bore and providing a shouldertherebetween, z-i tube. lsr sleeve disposed in said primers hole havingserrations formed. on the lower end there (it, e frangible disc mountedon said enclose? normally providing a seal between said said disc beingheld in position by the penetration of said serrations in the marginalpart thereof. a tubular stem mounted for movement in said sleeve, aperforating element having a collar on its upper end connected to thelower end 01' said stem, said perforating element having a pointed endadapted to puncture said disc when said stem ismove'd in one direction,walls providing passages extending exteriorly along the surface ofsmd'periorating element, and walls providingpenings in saidcollar'communicating with said r the the some.

perforating element has penetrated moanarns.

estopermit pessageof fluid through said

